Indiana ANG F-16C Blk 30 OIF / OEF combat deployments?

[Gunny]

Howdy, y'all!

 

(1/48 scale with regard to OIF & OEF)

I know INANG doesn't fly Vipers now. I don't usually build USAF jets, however, I've always been an admirer of the Viper. Who has pics/intel on any big or small mouth GE powered block 30 163rd and/or 113th FS? Any dates with whichever blocks or S/N would be nice, as well. I'm having trouble compiling the intel think I need to accurately build one of these 'lil Tamiya Vipers I've heard so much awesomeness about lately. I have some old Fox One & Superscale decals that I can fiddle with if I need to get the correct markings for one or two birds. I'm thinking about ordering a couple SHG sheets that are prolly a lot better I reckon. I think there a few dudes on here that have intimate knowledge of the INANG Vipers that might be able to assist. Thanks! 

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

Edited March 4, 2018 by Gunny
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[Niels]

The answer you will find over at www.F-16.net 

Search the database using "163 FS" or "113 FS" will give you a full lineup of all vipers assigned to either unit. 

Searching the photo database will give all the pictures you need. 

 

Biggest challenge with the 163FS is to find the grey colored "blacksnakes" lettering but this you will get from the SHG sheet

Edited March 3, 2018 by Niels

[admiralcag]

Both units were deployment partners for my old unit, 140th Wing/120th FS. While I don't know for sure on the inlet size, I will go out on a limb and say Indiana's jets were big mouth inlets.

 

Do you have a plan for surgery to convert from the P&W engines to the GE engines and the inlet?

 

Vern

"Without Weapons, it's just another airline."

[Niels]

Initially 162FS flew block 25's with small mouth intake from FY83/84. They later upgraded to Block 30's of FY85/86, still with small mouth intakes, but this was only for the last 1,5 years of Viper operations. They never flew big mouth block 30's. 

The 113FS flew only small mouth block 30's from FY85/86 until becoming an intelligence wing. 

 

If you buy the ANG Block 25/32 edition of the Tamiya kit, alternativelly Thunderbirds edition you can build a block 25 163FS straight from the box. The advantage of the ANG block 25/32 kit is you get targeting pod and bombs which is correct for the 163FS. 

 

For a 113FS you can use the same kit, but have to source the GE engine from either aftermarket or another kit (ie Agressor/Advesary boxing) to correctly replcate the block 30's of this unit. Same applies for the late period 163FS when they flew the block 30. 

Edited March 3, 2018 by Niels

[Gunny]

Thanks, Niels! Admiralcag: I'll be using the F-16C/N kit as a base so no surgery will be required. It has both inlets & the "Pratt & Worthless" & GE cans. That kit has what I need, however, I'll be using Eduard/Brassin/Aires aftermarket for the added resin/etch cockpit, engine, weapons, wheel & pod details anyway. Adding metal pitot, aoa & static dischargers & struts. I've not yet built one of the little Vipers but I've heard nothing but praise about Tamiya's 1/48 F-16 family. If this one goes well I'll build the the SCANG blk 52.

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

[Slartibartfast]

I will, like everyone else in this thread, assume you mean 1:48 scale.  Surprisingly, Caracal does not offer Hoosier Vipers, only a Phantom in that scale.

[Niels]

Sounds like you're in good shape - will be watching this with interest 

[habu2]

Afterburner sheet 48-030 has 163 FS markings - if you can find one. 

 

SHG sheet is still available from Jake afaik.

.

Edited March 3, 2018 by habu2

[Niels]

113FS carried "TH" tailcode until becoming an intelligence wing. 

163FS carried "FW" until receiving block 30's, at which time they changed to "ID" due to being only fighter unit left in Indiana. But the "ID" only lasted the final 1,5 years of Viper operations.   

[achterkirch]

21 minutes ago, Niels said:

113FS carried "TH" tailcode until becoming an intelligence wing. 

163FS carried "FW" until receiving block 30's, at which time they changed to "ID" due to being only fighter unit left in Indiana. But the "ID" only lasted the final 1,5 years of Viper operations.   

Do you mean “IN” instead of “ID”?

I believe Idaho’s ANG A-10’s has the “ID” tail code. 

[Niels]

Sorry, yes - should have been IN ;) 

[achterkirch]

1 hour ago, Niels said:

Sorry, yes - should have been IN ;) 

No worries we all make mistakes.  

[Gunny]

I noticed that my Fox One has a 113 FS OIF combat deployment & I've got some older SS sheets with 163 FS when they were the Marksmen. When the 163 FS  picked up their blk 30's & changed to the IN tail code did they get a chance to squeeze in deployment? Did 113 FS get any time away with blk 30's? Thus far I'm not finding much on F-16.net on these two squadrons. I'm still on a recon over there. Thanks.

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns 

[Gunny]

Ok...Just read that Turkey didn't permit flight flights from their airfields when OIF kicked off. So soon I forget. So, the 113th was the last ANG squadron to fly an ONW sortie before OIF combat. Apparently they never returned to theater for ops, but 163rd did a few times in their blk 25's. I will be building a Fort Wayne Blacksnake then. Glad I raided Sprue Brothers of all things 1/48 Tamiya F-16 resin/etch/metal/decals in all blocks for these 'lil gems. That was an exhausting process trying to learn this F-16 block phenomenon! Keep any intel you might have on the 163rd during OIF that I can't recon, gents. I really appreciate it. I'm not afraid to admit I've had my brain housing group rung a few times over there. Yut!

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

[admiralcag]

17 hours ago, Niels said:

113FS carried "TH" tailcode until becoming an intelligence wing. 

163FS carried "FW" until receiving block 30's, at which time they changed to "ID" due to being only fighter unit left in Indiana. But the "ID" only lasted the final 1,5 years of Viper operations.   

Do you know what year Terra Haute became an intel wing? We picked up a couple of loaders from them in Colorado a few years before I retired.

 

Vern

[Niels]

Last F-16 flight was September 8, 2007. 

[jmel]

12 hours ago, Gunny said:

When the 163 FS  picked up their blk 30's & changed to the IN tail code did they get a chance to squeeze in deployment?

 

Did 113 FS get any time away with blk 30's? Thus far I'm not finding much on F-16.net on these two squadrons. I'm still on a recon over there. Thanks.

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns 

No, the Ft. Wayne Block 30s didn't deploy to the sandbox.  In fact, many jets never even received squadron markings once transferred from Michigan.  They went straight to AMARC with no squadron markings whatsoever.

 

Terre Haute did several ONW deployments in their Block 30s.  

 

There are a number of guys here that were with the 181st during their Viper days.  That was truly a great collection of people and a first class fighter wing.

 

Speed Hunter Graphics has both Indiana wings on 1/48th sheets in Vipers and Phantoms.

[habu2]

2 hours ago, jmel said:

In fact, many jets never even received squadron markings once transferred from Michigan.  

They went straight to AMARC with no squadron markings whatsoever.

 

That would explain the photo posted above by achterkirch

[Gunny]

On 3/4/2018 at 11:28 AM, jmel said:

No, the Ft. Wayne Block 30s didn't deploy to the sandbox.  In fact, many jets never even received squadron markings once transferred from Michigan.  They went straight to AMARC with no squadron markings whatsoever.

 

Terre Haute did several ONW deployments in their Block 30s.  

 

There are a number of guys here that were with the 181st during their Viper days.  That was truly a great collection of people and a first class fighter wing.

 

Speed Hunter Graphics has both Indiana wings on 1/48th sheets in Vipers and Phantoms.

 

Thank you for the knowledge, jmel. I snatch & grabbed your Heritage Vipers sheet from Sprue Bros last night with another Tamiya blk 25/32, Aires cockpit, Eduard color etch & Brassin Pratt & Worthless resin exhaust. The Blacknsakes markings to which I'm certain will be much better than that Superscale sheet I have plus I like the Swap Fox bird's markings as well. I can change out the IN code with some spare "FW" markings from that SS set & fiddle with the S/N to match one that participated in OIF. Thanks putting out your books as well as the decals. 

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

Edited March 5, 2018 by Gunny

[Gunny]

Another interoggative for you wardogs. It always appeared to me that the US MIL Vipers cockpits were more than a tad shade lighter than the modern standard dark gull gray FS3623. I believe their ACES are light gray FS36495 differ from the rest of the cockpit. Of course, age, wear & tear & various other conditions play a role in Cole variations, so what would be a average starting point or just apply some artistic license? Sound off.

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns 

[jmel]

they are technically dark gull gray, but I use dark ghost on my Viper cockpits.  I think dark gull is too dark in 1/48th.  

 

Jake

[ThePhantomTwo]

If you change your mind and go with a 113th FS subject,let me know,I crewed both the Block 25's and 30's with the unit. We did take out two comm sites with GBU-12's on our 2003 ONW deployment and took out SAM sites on the 2002 ONW deployment. I supplied Ben most the info(As well as Mike Long,who worked avionics with the unit)for the sheet,my jet is on the sheet,86-0260,and the jet that I crewed on the 2003 deployment,85-1442. "Speedy" (South Dakota ANG jet,we also had Michigan jets we used).

[Gunny]

20 hours ago, ThePhantomTwo said:

If you change your mind and go with a 113th FS subject,let me know,I crewed both the Block 25's and 30's with the unit. We did take out two comm sites with GBU-12's on our 2003 ONW deployment and took out SAM sites on the 2002 ONW deployment. I supplied Ben most the info(As well as Mike Long,who worked avionics with the unit)for the sheet,my jet is on the sheet,86-0260,and the jet that I crewed on the 2003 deployment,85-1442. "Speedy" (South Dakota ANG jet,we also had Michigan jets we used).

 

Is this THE Dave Cook from INANG formerly outta Hulman Field, Terre Haute I met back in '03 or '04ish via this site? If so, it's been a long time since we used to talk all the time on here & email, brah! Before I comp changed back to active duty from the SMCR & reentered into the war on terror in the early stages of OIF & disappeared from the modelling community & related websites predominately for a loooong time. I lost all of the pics you used to send me of your 113th birds. I think the sheet you're talking about is the Fox One example with the 113th ONW? I think that's the one I have that has your name on it where said markings are applied to the nose gear door? In any case, thanks for the info! If it's you, please send me a PM or e-mail!

 

S/F,

Masterguns

[Matthew83128]

I’m a 20 year USAF vet and F-16 crew chief, if you have any questions let me know. 

[ThePhantomTwo]

Yup,that be me Gunny,I don't know about the "THE" part though...lol.

My assigned F-16C's with the 181st were:

85-1407 Block 25,its still flying at Luke from what I hear,we transfered it to the Arizona ANG in 1995 at the end of our Snowbird deployment at D-M.

84-1311 Block 25(an overage jet we flew until Toledo picked it up a year later),if 407 wasn't flying then I was usually on 311,weird having my name on two jets during that time.

85-1557 Block 30,we referred to it as a Block 35 since it had a Block 40 aft end fitted after an engine fire when it flew at Misawa.It was also nicknamed "Twisted Sister" after it was sent to Depot after a very hard landing twisting the airframe just a tad.

86-0260 Block 30,my pride and joy,we had a great crew on that jet and kept it spotless,even had engraved chromed wheel hub covers,it had all the crews names and had the 181st unit emblem on them. I was supposed to have my last launch/recovery on the jet in June 2004 but it was lost in the mid-air with 85-1555 in May of 2004. My last F-16 launch/recovery was oddly enough was 85-1442 "Speedy" (the jet I crewed in 2003 on ONW duty)when it came in with three other South Dakota jets for LITENING/equipment swap in April 2004.

Mike Long(avionics) and Pat Green (weapons) here on ARC also were in the unit and contributed also on the Fox One Vipers at War sheet. Jake is also one to ask,he pretty much documented our last 5 years of flying and was considered a " Racer"(no honorary,he was one of us whether he liked it or not!) from the get go,he spoke the language of a pilot and a maintenance/weapons troop and earned respect from all of us out there,enough to where we gave him a ride in our D model! His books are my go to references on the Viper and Phantom,you can't get any better than his books and decals.